20 



LEPIDOSIREKJD^. 



1. PROTOPTERUS ANNECTENS. 



Lepidosiren annectens, Owen, Proc. Linn. Soc. 1839, p. 27, and Tr. Linn. Soc. xviii. 



1841, p. 327, pis. xxiii.-xxvii. ; Grraj, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1856, p. 342, pi. xi. 

 Protoptenis anguilliformis, Owen, Tr. Linn. 8oc. t. c. p. 332 ; Peters, Reise Mossanib. 



iv. p. 3, pi. i. fig. 1 (18G8). 

 Rlnnocryptis amphibia, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1844, p. 414. 

 Protoptenis annectens, Jardiue, Ann. & Mag. N. H. vii. 1841, p. 21 ; Gray, 



Cat. Batr. Grad. p. 62 (1850) ; Lankester, Tr. Zool. Soc. xiv. 1896, p. 11, 



pi. ii. fig. 2 ; Bonleng. Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 36 (1901), and Proc. Zool. Soc. 



1902, ii. p. 325, pi. xxviii. fig. 1. 

 Protoptenis rliinocryjriis, Gray, 1. c. p. 63. 

 Protopterus annectens, part., A. Dum. Hist. Poiss. ii. p. 470 (1870) ; Giintli. Cat. 



Fish. viii. p. ?,2-2. (1870) ; A. Schneid. Zool. Anz. 1886, p. 524, and Zool. 



Beitr. ii. 1887, p. 98. 

 Protopterus ampldbius, A. Schneid. 11. cc. 



Deptli of body 6| to 8^ times in total length. Length of head 3| to 

 4^ times in distance from end of snout to vent; snout broadly rounded, 

 about I length of head ; eye small, its diameter 8 to 12 times in length 



Fig. 14. 



Pi'otopterus annectens. 

 Grambia, after Gray (P. Z. S. 1856). I. 



of head (in half-grown and adult), 2^ to 3^ times in interocular width. 

 34 to 36 pairs of ribs. Dorsal originating nearer occiput than vent. 

 Fore limb longer than hind limb and provided with a well-developed, 

 often strong fringe ; hind limb with a more or less distinct or rudi- 

 mentary fringe. 40 to 50 scales in a longitudinal series from gill- 

 opening to above vent, 36 to 40 round middle of body. Grey-brown 

 or olive above, lighter beneath, with or without round blackish spots ; 

 lines of sensory canals brown or black. 



Total length 650 millim. 



West Africa, from the Senegal to the Niger, Chad Basin, East Africa, 

 as far south as the Zambesi.— Type in Museum of Royal College of 

 Surgeons. 



